To describe the challenges of managing managers and labor personnel both in individual international markets and in worldwide operations.
To examine the sources, qualifications, and compensation of international managers
To assess the effects of culture on managers and management policies
To illustrate the different roles of labor in international markets, especially that of labor participation in management
2. 2
Learning Objectives
To describe the challenges of managing
managers and labor personnel both in
individual international markets and in
worldwide operations
To examine the sources, qualifications, and
compensation of international managers
To assess the effects of culture on managers
and management policies
To illustrate the different roles of labor in
international markets, especially that of labor
participation in management
3. 3
Introduction
Organizations have two general human
resource objectives
Recruitment and retention
Increased effectiveness
To attain the two major objectives, the
skills and activities needed include:
Personnel planning and staffing
Personnel training
Compensation
An understanding of labor-management
relations
4. 4
Managing Managers
The importance of the
quality of the workforce in
international business
cannot be stressed
enough, regardless of the
stage of
internationalization of the
firm
Early stages
Advanced stages
5. 5
Early Stages of
Internationalization
The marketing or sales manager of the
firm typically is responsible for beginning
export activities
The firm starting international operations
will usually hire an export manager from
outside rather than promote from within
This individual will have obtained experience from
another corporation or Foreign Service duty
High entrepreneurial spirit with trader mentality
6. 6
Advanced Stages of
Internationalization
As the firm progresses, human
resources planning activities will
initially focus on the needs of
various markets and functions
One of the major sources of
competitive advantage of global
corporations is their ability to
attract talent from around the world
8. 8
Sources for Management
Recruitment
The location and the
nationality of
candidates for a
particular job are the
key issues in
recruitment
Internal or External
Local or Expatriates
The recruitment
approach changes
over the internalization
process of the firm
When international
operations are
expanded, a
management
development dilemma
may result
9. 9
Sources for Management
Recruitment
Currently, most managers in subsidiaries are host-
country nationals
Local managers, if not properly trained, may see
things differently from the way they are viewed at
headquarters
The decision as to whether to use home-country
nationals depends on several factors
The number of home-country nationals in an
overseas operation rarely rises above 10% of the
workforce with 1% being typical
10. 10
Sources for Management
Recruitment
The use of third-country nationals is most often seen
in large multinational companies that have adopted a
global philosophy
The ability to recruit for international assignments is
determined by the value an individual company
places on international operations and the experience
gained in working in them
In an era of regional integration, many companies are
facing a severe shortage of managers who can think
and operate regionally or globally
11. 11
Selection criteria for
Overseas Assignments
The traits that have
been suggested as
necessary for the
international
manager range from
the ideal to the real
12. 12
Competence Factors
An expatriate manager usually
has far more responsibility than a
manager in a comparable
domestic position and must be far
more self-sufficient in making
decisions and conducting daily
business
Factual cultural knowledge
Area expertise
13. 13
Adaptability Factors
The manager’s own
motivation to a great
extent determines the
viability of an
overseas assignment
and consequently its
success
Interpretive cultural
knowledge
14. 14
Personal Characteristics
Despite all of the
efforts made by
multinational
companies to recruit
the best person
available,
demographics still
play a role in the
selection process
15. 15
The Selection and
Orientation Challenge
Due to the cost
of transferring a
manager
overseas, many
firms go beyond
standard
selection
procedures
Adaptability
screening
The candidate
selected will
participate in an
orientation
program on
internal and
external aspects
of the
assignment
16. 16
Culture Shock
The effectiveness of orientation
procedures can be measured only
after managers are overseas
Culture shock is the term used for
pronounced reactions to the
psychological disorientation that is
experienced in varying degrees when
spending an extended period of time
in a new environment
17. 17
Causes and Remedies
The culture shock
cycle for an
overseas
assignment may
last about
fourteen months
Four distinct
stages of
adjustment exist
during a foreign
assignment
Initial euphoria
Irritation and
hostility
Adjustment
Reentry
19. 19
Base Salary and Salary-
Related Allowances
A manager’s base salary
depends on qualifications,
responsibilities, and duties
The purpose of a cost of living
allowance (COLA) is to enable
the manager to maintain as
closely as possible the same
standard of living that he or she
would have at home
Foreign service premium
Hardship allowance
Housing allowance
Tax equalization
20. 20
Nonsalary-Related
Allowances
Other types of allowances are made
available to ease the transition into
the period of service abroad
Relocation
Mobility
Housing related
Automobile protection
Travel
Temporary living expenses
Education
21. 21
Labor Participation in
Management
Over the past quarter century, many
changes have occurred in the
traditional labor-management
relationship
To enhance workers’ role in decision
making, various techniques have
emerged
Self-management
Codetermination
Minority board membership
Work councils
22. 22
Improvement of Quality of
Work Life
The term quality of work life
has come to encompass
various efforts in the areas of
personal and professional
development
Individual job-related programs
include:
Work redesign
Team building
• Quality circles
Work scheduling
• Flextime
23. 23
The Role of Labor Unions
The role of labor unions varies
from country to country
Internationalization of business
has created a number of
challenges for labor unions
The relations between companies
and unions can be cooperative
24. 24
Human Resource Policies
The objectives of a human
resource policy pertaining to
workers are the same as for
management to anticipate
the demand for various skills
and to have in place
programs that will ensure
the availability of employees
when needed
25. 25
Human Resource Policies
Compensation of the work
force is a controversial issue
Comparisons of compensation
packages are difficult
Differences in compensation
packages may come to a head
in merger and acquisition
situations